Our Mission Statement
Our mission is to partner with foster care communities, DHHS, businesses, churches, and other agencies to raise awareness about the need for forever families, to facilitate events which lead to adoption, and to create an inspirational, innovative, and safe environment for America’s most vulnerable youth.
Our Vision Statement
STEM 4 Them believes that children should be paired with forever families in an environment that is both engaging and non-threatening. We are essentially setting up opportunities for families to “find each other” through STEM events.
What makes us Different
Many foster/adoption events feel kind of like speed dating. Both prospective parents and foster kids come in, either trying to find that perfect match in a few minutes, or leaving emptyhanded. Talk about pressure!
STEM 4 Them’s events aren’t like that. We believe families are best formed in a zero pressure environment, so we don’t make our events about adoption – we make them about relationships.
We also provide respite care for kids who have already been adopted or are already living with a foster family, so foster kids have a chance to see what family could mean for them.
We also welcome anyone with a clean background check and a passion for serving kids and foster/adoptive families to volunteer.
Promoting the growth of children in foster care
We seek to build growth mindsets, perseverance, and self-confidence as our children see themselves as valuable problem-solvers and innovators.
About Our Founder
Renee has 25 years of experience working with children in various roles and settings.
She has served the children of her community as
- a social worker
- a public school teacher
- children’s ministry director
- chairman for various child-centered committees (educational and faith-based).
She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
She is currently a Project Lead The Way Master Teacher, and is certified to teach elementary education, ELA, and science.
In addition to training educators all over the country, she has presented at six state conferences and two national conferences. She is known for thinking outside the box and often challenges the status quo.
Renee founded STEM 4 Them in 2018.
She lives in Saint Joseph, MI, with her husband their four children. She can be reached directly at [email protected].
